From 14 to 15 June 2024 took place in Ružomberok / Slovakia a seminar about “Safety and health of women at work in the digital age”, organised by NKOS (Nezávislé kresťanské odbory Slovenska), with the support of EZA and funded by the European Union.
45 representatives of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Belgium, Czech Republic and Ukraine participated in the seminar.
As part of the project, we dealt with the following problems:
In the digital era, women face various issues regarding safety and health at work, often tied to the specific characteristics of digital work environments and technologies. Here are a few issues that we identified in the seminar discussion.
Digital Ergonomics: Working on computers and spending long hours in front of screens can lead to visual problems, neck, shoulder, and back pain. Specific ergonomic solutions should consider differences in body build and ergonomic needs of women.
Psychosocial Factors: Digital work can be isolating and contribute to feelings of loneliness and mental exhaustion, which can have a particularly significant impact on women. Lack of work-life balance, as well as the burden of constant connectivity, can lead to burnout and other psychological issues.
Data Security and Privacy: Women may face increased risks of cyber-attacks and privacy breaches, which can have serious consequences for their personal and professional lives. Security measures such as strong authentication and protection of sensitive data are crucial for securing digital work environments.
Technological Inequalities: Some women may have limited access to modern technology devices and infrastructure, which can restrict their opportunities in digital work and access to professional development.
Virtual Workspaces and Team Collaboration: It can be challenging for women to assert themselves in virtual teams and online work environments, where they may face communication barriers and building relationships with colleagues.
The topic is relevant for trade unions. New ways of working, new professions, and new management approaches are a big challenge for us. The 2023-25 Healthy Workplaces campaign raises awareness about the impact of new digital technologies on work and workplaces and the associated occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges and opportunities.
14.6.2024
Ľubica Černá presented the Healthy Workplaces 2023-25 campaign and its priority areas, which will be promoted throughout the campaign duration through dedicated communication and promotional packages. The work environment is currently undergoing dynamic changes. Trends such as job flexibility and increasing digitalization have a significant impact on women's working conditions. Similarly, the importance of sectors dominated by female labour forces, such as healthcare, education, and various services, is growing. Job flexibility opens up new possibilities but also brings new challenges, such as managing remote work and coping with heightened stress due to constant connectivity to work. Digital transformation and automation are altering the nature of work and placing new demands on skills and safety. Digital technologies offer new opportunities but also pose new security risks, such as cyber-attacks and privacy protection. Virtual work environments, in turn, place new demands on communication and collaboration, which can influence women's work environments.
Katarína Markovičová, director of the University counselling centre, presented stress factors that can impact work life and mental health in online learning and teaching. She also recommended some practical ways to prevent stress in online education. For example: Adequate technical support and training., Creation of community and support networks among teachers., Improving working conditions., Ensuring clear and objective evaluation., Organisation of working time., Ensuring opportunities for physical activity., Improving work-life balance.
Eva Tiquet. ACV CSC Belgium presented trade union strategies to prevent, manage and eliminate work-place harassment and violence against women: A strong vision., Act conscious,. Keep in mind: your goals, and possible consequences of your actions., Work together at different levels.
Lidmila Nemcová, hKaP, Czechia, presented enablers and barriers to older persons exercising their social rights. It defined several factors: Discrimination and prejudice: Older people face age discrimination in the form of stereotypes and prejudices, which may result in unequal opportunities compared to younger individuals. Reduced physical and cognitive abilities: With age, physical mobility, hearing, vision, and cognitive abilities may decline, making it difficult for older people to actively participate in public life and exercise their rights. Economic dependence: Some older people may be economically dependent on others, limiting their independence and freedom to make decisions about their lives. Limited access to information and services: Many older people may have limited access to information about their rights and available social services, which hinders their full exercise. Social isolation and loneliness: Older people who are isolated or feel lonely may have fewer opportunities to learn about their rights and apply them in practice.
Daniel Markovič, Head of department of Social work, Catholic university in Ružomberok, presented how the implementation of AI can help unions manage their operations more efficiently, improve communication with members, and better respond to the needs and challenges of the modern work environment. AI can help identify ergonomic hazards in work processes that can lead to chronic health problems in employees. Based on this analysis, unions can work with management to suggest ergonomic adjustments and improvements to workstations.
15.6.2024
Aneta Szczykutowicz presented the results of the research: Women at polytechnics and Titans of work – women in the labour market in the age of digital transformation. She presented a campaign Girls to polytechnics! Girls for science! In the second part she presented forms of cyber bullying in the workplace. Cyber bullying invariably has negative consequences for the mental and emotional health of victims. Women who are victims of cyberbullying should seek support and protection and, if necessary, seek help from professionals and legal authorities and trade union organisations.
Monika Drąg focused her presentation on Exploring the impact of the digital divide and cyber violence. She stressed that improving digital literacy and awareness about cyber violence is crucial. Women need to be equipped with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves online. The EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) emphasizes the importance of digital skills education to empower all citizens, including women, to navigate the digital world safely.
Bardócz András, KPSZT, Hungary, Karolina and Boris Korenčan NSi, Slovenia, Marie Čapková, hKaP Czech Republic, Yuriy Kurylo, VOST “VOLYA” from Ukraine presented how trade unions in their country are addressing the challenges of protecting workers (women) in the digital age.
In the afternoon session, the participants were divided into 2 groups in different rooms. The moderator of the first workshop was Zdena Černá, a special physiotherapist. She stressed the importance for women working with computers to perform simple exercises directly at the workplace that can help relax muscles, improve blood circulation and minimize tension in the body. She practically demonstrated several exercises that women can do right at the workplace. Participants used simple rubber bands during the exercises.
The presenter of the second workshop was Noemi Šimunková from Slovak Medical University, who explained why preventive measurements of sugar, uric acid and cholesterol are important for women. She explained the optimal values and how to measure them. She measured the participants' blood pressure, blood sugar, uric acid and cholesterol directly on the spot. After completion, the groups changed.
Recommendations
We have identified common recommendations:
Introduction of specific guidelines and training: Trade unions should advocate for the introduction of specific occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines for women working in the digital environment. These guidelines should include recommendations for preventing digital fatigue, proper workstation setup, and safe online work practices.
Monitoring working conditions: Trade unions should advocate for regular monitoring of the working conditions of women working in the digital environment to assess whether their work is causing health problems or psychological stress.
Support for psychological well-being: Trade unions should advocate for providing support and resources to improve the psychological well-being of women. This may include access to psychological counselling, stress management, and support for achieving a balanced work-life integration.
Advocacy for workplace rights: Trade unions should actively advocate for workplace rights ensuring a safe and healthy environment for women in the digital environment. This includes combating sexual and gender discrimination, ensuring equal pay for equal work, and protection against online harassment and bullying.
Education and awareness activities: Trade unions should organize educational programs and awareness activities to increase awareness of occupational health and safety in the digital environment among their members. This may include workshops, webinars, and sharing best practices and information on online safety.
Support for research and policies: Trade unions should support research on the impact of the digital environment on women's health and actively engage in shaping policies that protect occupational health and safety for women in the digital era. This includes lobbying for legislative measures to protect the rights of women working online and creating an environment that supports their health and safety.
These recommendations can help trade unions effectively improve occupational health and safety for women in the digital era and strengthen their position in terms of working conditions in the online environment.